NBA Play In Tournament Picks 2022 (April 12-15)

The NBA regular season has come to a close and that means we know the identity of the twenty teams that will make up the PlayOffs and the Play In Tournament.

Four of those teams are only going to be experiencing the Play In Tournament this week, but this is the time of the season when the big stars tend to show off all of their talent.

Some will be missing- LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers failed to make the top ten in the Western Conference and have a big off-season ahead, while my New York Knicks returned to type after a strong 2020/21 season.

But that doesn't mean the next two months are not going to be filled with some top quality Basketball. There is every chance we are going to get some big time First Round Series and I am looking forward to seeing how the PlayOffs shake up.

If I was asked to pick a potential NBA Final now I think my lean would be with the Phoenix Suns returning to the Finals to represent the Western Conference. The Eastern Conference looks wide open, but the Brooklyn Nets may just be coming together at the right time, although they will have to negotiate the Play In Tournament as well as the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat in the First Round.

The Nets may actually benefit by losing on Tuesday and then earning their way into the PlayOffs as the Number 8 Seed rather than the Number 7, but teams won't be thinking about that now and it is all about making sure you win each time you step on the court.

I will have all of the NBA Play In Tournament Picks in this thread and will then open a new thread for Games 1 through 4 of the First Round of the PlayOffs, which begins on Saturday.

Getting the PlayOffs off to a good start is the key this week before the First Round begins and there are some good games to get the post-season kicked off.

Tuesday 12th April

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Brooklyn Nets Pick: These teams both finished with the same record in the regular season, but a win for the Brooklyn Nets earlier this month was enough to win the tiebreaker over the Cleveland Cavaliers. That meant finishing the season in the Number 7 spot in the Eastern Conference and earning the right to host this opening Play In Tournament game.

With two shots to reach the PlayOffs, the Brooklyn Nets will feel they are in a strong position to make the First Round of the post-season. It has not been the season they would have wanted, but the Nets know the PlayOffs is almost a reset on the year they've had so far and the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have previously played on NBA Championship teams to give Brooklyn plenty of experience to call upon.

A disappointing end to the regular season should not cloud how well the Cleveland Cavaliers have done to return this kind of level. It should be said that a few weeks ago they looked sure things to finish in the top six in the Eastern Conference, but an injury to Jarrett Allen seemed to spark a downturn in form and now the Cavaliers have to find a way to win one of a potential two games this week to earn their First Round Series.

Jarrett Allen has missed the end of the regular season, but he was practicing on Sunday before the final game and there is a feeling that he is trending towards being back in the rotation. However, the question for the Cavaliers is whether they want to bring Jarrett Allen back for this game or whether they should give him a few more days rest for a potential 'win or go home' game.

The Cavaliers are a pretty big underdog so it would make some sense, but this is also a team who have looked very vulnerable Defensively ever since Jarrett Allen went down. Having him back in the rotation may give them an opportunity to try and slow down the high-powered Brooklyn Offense which helped the team rally in the Fourth Quarter to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers by 11 points last week.

On the Offensive side of the court, the Cavaliers will feel they can at least push the Brooklyn Nets, but I have a lean that the latter having the best two players on the court can use that experience to pull clear of their visitors. The Nets will be facing a team that have struggled to stop the three ball and Brooklyn also look like they have an edge when it comes to the rebounding numbers.

I do think that will help the Brooklyn Nets pull clear of the Cleveland Cavaliers and both home wins over them in the regular season have come by at least ten points.

Over the course of the season the Nets have been over-rated by the layers and that has seen them struggle to cover big spreads, but they did manage to cover this same line in the last regular season game between these two teams last week.

Some of the betting trends are really going against the Brooklyn Nets, but they are facing a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is just 1-5 against the spread in their last six as the road underdog.

Like many of the home fans, I do think the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were signed by Brooklyn to win these kind of games and I expect their scoring to help the team pull clear. The season may not have been the one that was expected, but Brooklyn can change that narrative very quickly and one of the most dangerous Play In teams could earn the Number 7 Seed in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday with a strong win.

Los Angeles Clippers @ Minnesota Timberwolves Pick: For a number of weeks the Los Angeles Clippers have been locked into the Number 8 Seed in the Western Conference and that does mean having two chances to make the First Round of the PlayOffs. While their City rivals have unexpectedly failed to even finish in the top ten of the Western Conference, the Clippers have to be given credit to have finished as high as they have considering they have been without Kawhi Leonard for the entirety of the season and Paul George for a large majority.

Paul George has returned to the rotation and he has been playing at a really good level, while the Clippers have ended the season with six wins from their last seven games to build some momentum.

This game to decide the Number 7 Seed in the Western Conference is going to be hosted by the Minnesota Timberwolves who just fell short of the top six by 2 games in the regular season. A couple of months ago it looked like the high-powered Offensive Minnesota team were going to be able to push into those positions, but they have lost four of their last seven games and will have to dig in to make sure they secure their place in the First Round.

Winning this game would also mean facing the Memphis Grizzlies rather than having to play another game for the right to meet the Phoenix Suns in the First Round in a loaded Western Conference.

Even through their inconsistent finish to the season, the Timberwolves have continued to be very productive on the Offensive side of the court. Karl-Anthony Towns was rested in their last regular season game and the Timberwolves will be hoping D'Angelo Russell is also able to overcome Covid and take his place in the line up. The Timberwolves will need Russell to round out the scoring power of the rotation, especially as they will be facing a Los Angeles Clippers Defensive scheme that has powered them into the Play In Tournament.

They have perhaps benefited from the schedule down the stretch, but the Clippers could only beat what was in front of them and they have to be given credit for that. The Defensive strength is coupled with an ability to win the battle on the boards and I think that could be enough for the Clippers to keep this one close.

Los Angeles will also benefit from the fact that the Minnesota Timberwolves have allowed teams to average over 53% from the field in their last five games and the return of Paul George has helped spark the Clippers Offense. They have been particularly effective from the three point range and it could be the key for the underdog as they look to become the first Number 8 Seed to beat the Number 7 Seed in the second season of the Play In Tournament.

Norman Powell is another who helps a pretty good rotation that has been successful even when the likes of Paul George were sitting on the sidelines. That could be very important for the Los Angeles Clippers as they look to avoid having to play again this week before the First Round Series begin in the PlayOffs and I do think the underdog may have enough to win this game outright.

Both teams have struggled in their recent roles as the road underdog/home favourite, but the Clippers rounded out the regular season in strong form rather than the inconsistency that the Minnesota Timberwolves displayed and Los Angeles could make the points being given to them count.

Wednesday 13th April

That was a pretty ridiculous start to the Play In Tournament Picks.

Brooklyn led by 22 points in the Third Quarter and the Clippers led by 10 points in the Fourth Quarter with their hosts in deep foul trouble.

Quite shockingly, both teams failed to cover by a combined four points- that is pretty sickening.

Things hopefully won't be as ridiculous for a second night in a row. You are never going to get every Pick right, but I am looking for teams to not move into massively strong positions where they are covering by 13 plus points, as both were last night in the second half, and then blow it late.

Charlotte Hornets @ Atlanta Hawks Pick: The winning team will be heading to the Cleveland Cavaliers later this week to try and earn the Number 8 Seed in the Eastern Conference, but there is plenty of pressure on both the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets. Both have looked like they were set for a Play In Tournament appearance for some time, but they will feel they put in plenty in the last couple of weeks of the regular season to have deserved a higher Seeding and two shots to make the PlayOffs.

Nothing will change that now and there is plenty of pressure that is going to be felt by both of these teams heading into this 'win or go home' game.

The Atlanta Hawks may be dealing with a bit more pressure than the Charlotte Hornets- they reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season so missing out completely on the First Round of the PlayOffs would be a huge underachievement. On the other hand, Charlotte are a team that are building for the future, but who have taken huge steps this season to finish with a winning record and a team that ended the regular season feeling pretty good about their chances of upsetting their way into the First Round of the post-season.

They finished with the same record as the Hawks, while three wins in a row will give the Hornets plenty of confidence.

Charlotte have a team that have shown plenty of firepower on the Offensive side of the board and even the absence of Gordon Hayward for large stretches of the season have not slowed them down. Gordon Hayward will be missing for the Play In Tournament, but the Hornets have averaged 53% from the field in their last five games and they can challenge an Atlanta Defensive scheme that has been a touch inconsistent.

However, the Hawks have Trae Young and they have been scoring pretty well themselves. They also have to be encouraged by the fact that the Hornets have been as porous Defensively as they have been productive on the Offensive side of the court and that is where Atlanta can make enough plays to get on top of this big game.

A couple of factors suggest the Hawks will be too strong in this important game.

The PlayOff experience cannot be discounted at this stage of the season, while second chance points could also be an area the Hawks can beat out the Hornets with their size and intensity around the boards. And you absolutely have to factor in home court where Atlanta have been much stronger this season compared with their performances on the road.

These teams split their four regular season games and they each won once on the court as the visiting team. I have little doubt this is going to be another intense battle with the Hornets and Hawks capable of getting very hot from the field and able to take the game away from an opponent, but the stronger Atlanta Defensive performances in recent games could see them win this Play In game.

I have a huge amount of respect for what Charlotte have done to get into the position they are in, but they are facing an Atlanta team that have been performing well as the favourite.

Atlanta also won eight of their last ten games to end the regular season with the sole losses on the road at Toronto and Miami, two teams already into the First Round of the PlayOffs. The Hawks won their last four home games and all by at least 7 points and I think the experience of last season will see one big Fourth Quarter effort and a place in the final Play In Tournament game in the Eastern Conference.

San Antonio Spurs @ New Orleans Pelicans Pick: Three losses in a row have slowed any momentum the Number 10 Seeded San Antonio Spurs may feel they had going into the Play In Tournament, and all of those were suffered against teams that finished above them in the standings. On Wednesday they have to face another one of those when they go up against the New Orleans Pelicans who have also lost two in a row ahead of this vital must win game.

A trip to Los Angeles will await the winner and it is the San Antonio Spurs who won the regular season between these two teams, including winning both games played in New Orleans.

That has to give the Spurs a mental edge ahead of this Play In game, but the post-season pressures are very different and neither one of these teams is blessed with a lot of experience. And while the New Orleans Pelicans will know they were beaten in both home games against the Spurs, there is no doubt how important the home fans can be in these pressurised environments and it is no surprise the road teams have struggled in the early runnings of the Play In Tournament.

It is something that is a concern, but I do think the San Antonio Spurs can make the points count in this one.

Brandon Ingram also looks set to return for the New Orleans Pelicans and I do think his availability is very important for the home team. They closed the season with some inconsistent form on the Offensive side of the court, and now the Pelicans have to deal with the San Antonio Defensive unit that have played with plenty of intensity despite a difficult run in to close the regular season.

The Spurs are lacking star power these days, but they have been shooting the ball efficiently and I think that is going to be important for them in this one. I do think the Spurs will have considerable success against the New Orleans Defense which has allowed teams to average 53% from the field in their last five games and that is where the Spurs should be able to keep this one close.

San Antonio have covered in their last seven as the underdog overall and they have also covered in their last six as the road underdog. Gregg Popovich has had a bit more time to prepare the team for this Play In Tournament and he has been a Head Coach who has made use of the additional time with the Spurs going 11-4 against the spread in their last fifteen when they have had two days rest between games.

You cannot ignore how well the New Orleans Pelicans have played as the home favourite in recent weeks, but I would be surprised if they are able to blow out the San Antonio Spurs and this looks enough points to back the underdog.

Friday 15th April

It has been a favourites Play In Tournament so far with those teams going 3-1 against the spread and all four higher Seeds winning their opening games.

That may be challenged when the two games for the Number 8 Seed in the Eastern and Western Conference are played on Friday. Once again we have relatively narrow favourites, although for the first time one of those will be playing on the road.

It is different to the PlayOffs and the best of seven game series that have to be played and there will be tension as teams face elimination on Friday. However, it does mean that all will be put on the line and players will be asked to dig as deep as possible in order to earn a First Round Series, although the winners of the two games could be vulnerable Game 1 teams.

Atlanta Hawks @ Cleveland Cavaliers Pick: At one point it looked like the Cleveland Cavaliers were not only looking to reach the First Round of the PlayOffs, but pushing for a top four finish in the Eastern Conference. They unfortunately slid down the standings over the last couple of months of the regular season and you can virtually pinpoint the moment of that slide coinciding with the injury suffered by Jarrett Allen.

There is no doubt that he has been a huge miss for the Cavaliers and the home fans will be hoping Jarrett Allen is able to suit up in this last Play In Tournament game. Even if he does, you have to wonder if there will be some rustiness on his part and that does not bode well against the Atlanta Hawks who blew out the Charlotte Hornets in their first Play In game and who finished the regular season with a lot more confidence.

Injuries have also hurt the Hawks and they are almost certainly going to without John Collins again, but Trae Young has found support from his role players and that has helped the Hawks down the stretch. They have beaten plenty of quality opponents and narrow losses to some of the best teams in the East won't have dented the belief of a team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season and who will look to make a real impact in the post-season as long as they can get into the First Round of the NBA PlayOffs.

Being at home should be an advantage for the Cleveland Cavaliers and that should make this a closer game than some anticipate, despite all of the momentum being against the Cavaliers.

The two teams have both been pretty confident with the way they have been shooting the ball and that also makes this a close game as far as I am concerned. In the NBA, any team that can hit the three pointers at the kind of clips that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks do are going to be dangerous if they get their eye in early.

A difference between the two is that in recent games the Hawks Defensive schemes have been a little more consistent and the feeling is that they are the team that can make the critical stops when they need to. Having Jarrett Allen back will help the Cavaliers, but they are also allowing teams to find open shooters beyond the arc and that is where I believe the experienced Atlanta Hawks can just do enough.

The return of Jarrett Allen will block up the paint and help the Cavaliers with their rebounding, but I do think his minutes may be limited as he rebuilds his fitness. It should mean the Hawks are able to take advantage when Allen is on the bench, my assumption being he will suit up for this game, and I think Atlanta's momentum over the last month will carry them into the PlayOffs.

Further momentum has to be taken from the fact that the Hawks won the last three regular season games between these teams- as poor as their road record has been, one of those was also here in Cleveland, while the 24 point win at the end of March won't be far from the mind of either set of players.

The Cavaliers do have an extra day to prepare for this game, while they have a strong record against the spread when being set as the home underdog. However, the Hawks are 4-1 against the spread in their last five as the road favourite, and they blew out the Hornets which means the players should be ready to compete even with the slightly shorter rest period.

I am never a fan of backing a public team like the Hawks are for this game, but I will lay the points with the team with momentum as they look to secure a First Round Series with the Number 1 Seeded Miami Heat.

New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Clippers Pick: The big question for the Los Angeles Clippers is how much they have emotionally suffered from blowing a big lead in the Fourth Quarter of their Play In Tournament defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Some players will feel they should already be in the First Round of the PlayOffs, but the Clippers have to pick themselves up and go again as they host this 'win or go home' game on Friday.

The momentum will feel like it is with the New Orleans Pelicans who won their opening Play In Tournament game against the San Antonio Spurs, but that was at home and it is a much different challenge playing in this atmosphere on the road. So far the home teams have dominated the Play In Tournament, but there is plenty of pressure on the Clippers too.

A mental edge is the fact they have won three of the four regular season games against the Pelicans, especially as they blew them out at home earlier this month,

Paul George has to pick up his efficiency if the Clippers are to have a real chance of winning, but he is also well supported by a team that grew without him and Kawhi Leonard for much of the season. However, cold spells proved to be costly for the Clippers in their loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and they cannot afford to do that against the New Orleans Pelicans.

A benefit for the Clippers is that they are facing a Pelicans team that have struggled Defensively and I do think Los Angeles will be able to have their success from the three point range as well as when they get into the paint.

It does put the pressure on the Pelicans to find an Offensive response of their own, but they are going to be confident after beating the San Antonio Spurs and seeing a strong effort from CJ McCollum. The player traded from the Portland Trail Blazers for moments like these was clearly inspired by his effort and believes something big will happen for the Pelicans, although even a win in this game means facing the Phoenix Suns in the First Round of the PlayOffs.

New Orleans have been pretty efficient shooting the ball, but they are facing a Clippers team who have based their run towards the post-season on being able to play strong Defense. The poor outing against the Timberwolves will hurt, but it was more to do with the Offense going cold than the Defensive schemes breaking down and I think the Los Angeles Clippers will be able to do enough to beat this opponent again.

The Pelicans have been a strong road underdog, but Los Angeles have been strong when facing a team with a losing record like the one New Orleans have. The Clippers are also 4-1 against the spread in their last five as the home favourite and I think home advantage can also help the team to bounce back from the loss earlier this week and make their way into the First Round of the PlayOffs.

MY PICKS: 12/04 Brooklyn Nets - 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

12/04 Los Angeles Clippers + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

13/04 Atlanta Hawks - 5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

13/04 San Antonio Spurs + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

15/04 Atlanta Hawks - 2 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

15/04 Los Angeles Clippers - 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Play In Update: 2-4, - 2.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 34.83% Yield)

Weekend Football and Fantasy Football GameWeek 1 Picks 2021 (August 13-15)

The last month has been something of a blur and I really can't believe that the new Premier League season is set to get underway this weekend.

It feels like it has come around very quickly following the Euro 2020 delayed Finals, but it is a time for excitement up and down the country. There is always a positive feeling on the eve of a new season, but it feels different this season as for many match-going fans it will be the chance to return to grounds for the first time in around seventeen months.

I will be at Old Trafford for the Saturday lunch time kick off and I do think Manchester United have all of the tools to have a very successful season. Making a strong start is so important to clubs at the top of the Premier League after the kind of standards that have been set in recent campaigns and so there can't be a feeling out process or any excuses for poor results.

You can read my thoughts on the opening weekend fixtures below before I get onto the Fantasy Football portion of the thread.

Brentford v Arsenal Pick: The Premier League returns on Friday night as Brentford become the 50th club to play at this level since the start of the 1992/93 season.

In recent years Brentford have proved to be one of the best run clubs in England with a business model that has forced outsiders to respect the methods being used. This is a data driven club, but it has proved to be very effective as Brentford have overcome losing some big name players and found the right replacements to keep the club developing in a positive manner.

It has also led to Brentford moving to a new home and the idea was that the Brentford Community Stadium would be ready for Premier League Football as soon as it opened. The Covid-19 pandemic has ensured that dream has come true, albeit in a round about way, and Brentford fans will be piling into the Stadium on Friday to produced an intense atmosphere from the start.

Home advantage was somewhat lost last season as clubs played in front of empty stands, but I do think the return of fans will be a big boost for teams up and down the country. Brentford played well at home last season anyway, but they did have too many draws for Thomas Franks' liking and having the fans pushing the players on should help.

Of course Brentford are playing at a higher level now and they were beaten here by Leicester City in the FA Cup. However, Brentford also reached the League Cup Quarter Final with wins over Southampton, West Brom (Penalties), Fulham and Newcastle United and that should let the players know they are capable of performing against Premier League clubs.

First up is an Arsenal team that will not have European Football on the calendar for the first time in 25 years and who look to have hit a low point in their recent history. They did end the Premier League season in good form which will be encouraging for Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal won 10 of their 19 away Premier League games last season.

Ben White is the only signing of note to this point, but Arsenal have some quality younger players that look to have taken a step forward in their development over the last twelve months. The Gunners still have the quality of Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the final third too and they were a pretty stubborn team to break down in the Premier League last season before adding Ben White to the mix.

Arsenal were unbeaten away from home at the seven clubs that made up the bottom of the Premier League last season and they won 6 of those games. While I do think Brentford are capable of surviving at this level, Arsenal finished with a top four away defence according to the underlying stats last season and they are capable of opening up with an important win here.

This will be far from easy, especially when you consider how tough Brentford are at home, but the jump in level and the expected improvement of Arsenal gives them an edge here. The Gunners won 0-3 at newly promoted Fulham on the opening weekend of last season and, while the odds on quote is far from appealing, I do think they can open this Premier League campaign with a victory.

It won't be as comfortable as it was in a different part of West London last September, but Arsenal can do just enough to secure the points.

Manchester United v Leeds United Pick: When the fixtures were produced for the 2020/21 season, the one that a lot of Manchester United fans would have most been looking forward to was renewing the rivalry with Leeds United. There is no love lost between the Lancashire-Yorkshire rivals and a real sense of disappointment would have developed when seeing the large majority of the season played behind closed doors.

Things change on Saturday with a full Old Trafford ready to welcome Leeds United back into the big time and there is a real sense of belief that Manchester United are ready to compete for the Premier League title. Buying an experienced, quality defender like Raphael Varane and adding the talent of Jadon Sancho has only improved the starting eleven, although both players will likely begin their Manchester United careers on the bench.

Some doubt is raised by the return of key players from major international tournaments this summer and that does mean Manchester United may have to utilise the squad against one of the tougher teams to face in the Premier League. After finishing 9th in the Premier League table, Leeds United proved the Marcelo Bielsa style can be highly effective in the top flight and the strong end to the season curtailed any concerns about whether the squad could cope with the demands placed on them by the manager.

Leeds United won their last 4 Premier League games and they did win 10 of 19 away League games last season which is an impressive number for a newly promoted club. However, they were beaten in 6 of the 8 away games played at clubs that finished above them in the Premier League table and that includes the heavy defeat at Old Trafford last December.

Marcelo Bielsa showed he learned from some of the early experiences when his Leeds United team were perhaps far too open and they closed out the campaign with a single loss in 11 League games. That was the sole game in which Leeds United conceded more than one goal in that run and they held the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester City below two goals in that time too.

In that time Leeds United also played out a goalless draw with Manchester United and I do think the change in philosophy made Leeds United much tougher to deal with.

I expect they will take that into the opening weekend of the season after losing 4-3 at Anfield in their opening game of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign. The balance between attack and defence helped Leeds United finish up very strongly last time out, and that has to be a concern for Manchester United who will not be able to call on some key players to open this fixture.

An early goal could really spark this fixture, but I think it will be a tight, tough game for both Manchester United and Leeds United. The visitors were vastly more secure defensively in the second half of last season as they got to grips with the Premier League, while Manchester United were tough to break down at times too.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows the importance of a strong start and I think it will see him look to make life difficult for Leeds United who will be intense and full of energy. That means making sure Manchester United are not overly progressive and looking to take advantage of set pieces, a weakness for Leeds United defensively last season, and I think this might be a low-scoring fixture with neither looking to give too much away.

4 of the last 6 Leeds United Premier League fixtures against clubs that finished above them in the standings finished with fewer than three goals shared out and that may be the case at Old Trafford too.

Burnley v Brighton Pick: Both Burnley and Brighton have to be very happy with the fact they have kept hold of their managers through the summer and both Sean Dyche and Graham Potter are going to be massively important for their respective clubs over the course of the season.

It was so important for Burnley to keep hold of Sean Dyche who has shown he has all of the ability to extract everything out of this squad. He has largely kept Burnley clear of the relegation fight, but Dyche has not been as backed in the transfer market as he would have hoped since the takeover of the club was confirmed.

The January window may have come too soon, but only Nathan Collins has arrived so far in the summer and Burnley are a couple of serious injuries away from struggling. At least they are going into the season with the key players available and with Chris Wood back from the Olympic Games after representing New Zealand.

A strong start will be important for Burnley who ended last season in miserable form. They suffered some heavy defeats at home and the form at Turf Moor will have to be improved significantly if Burnley are going to avoid the drop, but having the fans returning will be a boost.

Brighton are a tough opening fixture for Burnley and one that may give the fans some concern as to the direction the season could be heading. Last season Brighton only finished 2 points above Burnley, but this is a progressive team who would likely be much higher up the League standings if they can find someone to put a clinical touch to all of the build up play.

It may be possible for Brighton to find the improvement in the final third within the squad, but I do think they need to buy a striker who can push Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck. The latter is too injury prone and will miss out this week and this has proved to be a difficult ground for Brighton to secure the full points.

They certainly look plenty short in the market as one of the 'trendy' picks to finish much higher up the League standings this time around. You can't argue with the quality of chances Brighton can create, but over the second half of the season they did have some difficulties being as effective going forward away from home as they were at The Amex Stadium.

Burnley will have their tried and tested backline together for the opening fixture and I think they can do enough to earn a positive result. It should be another tight fixture with 6 of the last 8 between these clubs ending with fewer than three goals shared out, but Burnley may have enough to at least earn a point in this one.

Brighton should be stronger overall this season, but they had a poor end to the last campaign on their travels and that may show up here.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace Pick: Two years ago Liverpool won the Champions League and followed up by winning the Premier League the following season and it is a path that Chelsea fans believe their team can tread under Thomas Tuchel. The Champions League success in Porto in May was a surprise, but it underlined the kind of improvement Chelsea made when their new manager took over from Frank Lampard and extracted a lot more from a squad that had been struggling.

Romelu Lukaku looks to be added to the mix and that only strengthens Chelsea further, but Thomas Tuchel will be looking for his team to make a strong start to the season. The fixture list has been far from kind to Chelsea who will face Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in their first six Premier League fixtures and it does mean they can ill afford an opening weekend disappointment.

It is far from ideal that Chelsea had to play in the European Super Cup on Wednesday and even picking up a trophy would not have made up for the fact they needed Extra Time and Penalties. That comes after many of their top players would have been late returning to the club after playing in the major international tournaments this summer and that does leave Chelsea potentially vulnerable.

However, they do benefit from facing a Crystal Palace team that will be learning new methods under the guidance of Patrick Vieira who has taken over from Roy Hodgson. It was something of a left field appointment and the last time Crystal Palace tried that they lost their first 4 Premier League games under Frank de Boer without scoring a goal.

Patrick Vieira has experienced the Premier League as a player and he had links with Manchester City which should have kept him up to date with the League. He is going to be changing the philosophy of the Crystal Palace squad that has been accustomed to being set up to be hard to beat, but there has been some upheaval with plenty of experience leaving the club this summer.

The former Arsenal Captain has had a mixed time as manager of New York City and Nice and I do think Crystal Palace will need time under Vieira's guidance. The learning curve means they are vulnerable to a Chelsea team that scored four goals in both Premier League wins over Crystal Palace last season and who have beaten this London rival 4 times in succession at Stamford Bridge.

A huge effort on Wednesday might mean Chelsea have to rotate their squad, but they have the quality at both ends of the field to break down this Crystal Palace team. With big away games at Arsenal and Liverpool to come before the first international break, Thomas Tuchel should motivate a big performance from his team to get this Premier League campaign off to a winning start and I think Chelsea will take advantage of some of the uncertainty that will surely be in the visitor's camp.

Chelsea should be strong enough to win by a couple of goals on the day and I think they will cover the Asian Handicap as they get their title challenge going.

Everton v Southampton Pick: There are more questions than answers about the state of Everton and Southampton ahead of the opening fixture in the 2021/22 season.

Rafa Benitez has come in as manager of Everton, but his arrival has been anything but universally approved by the fans and that puts the Spaniard on the back foot from the off. Not many have forgiven Benitez for calling Everton a 'small club' when managing across Stanley Park at Liverpool and that means a slow start is not really going to be tolerated by the returning fans.

He does benefit from a good looking fixture list through the first two months, but Rafa Benitez could be without some big name players on Saturday and that is far from ideal. Richarlison is a doubt having only just returned from international duty, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Moise Kean are both doubts and you do wonder if they can take advantage of the poor form Southampton were displaying in the second half of the last campaign.

Ralph Hasenhuttl will be given time by the Southampton board, but he is another manager that needs a positive start to the campaign. Losing Danny Ings to Aston Villa is a massive blow and Southampton conceded goals for fun away from St Mary's last season which saw them drop alarmingly towards the bottom three.

The squad looks much weaker than last season with Ryan Bertrand another who has moved on, but Southampton did make a positive start to the last campaign and they could take advantage if there are some nerves in the home camp. Southampton have only lost 2 of their last 5 visits to this ground and the long injury list to end last season contributed to their overall poor form.

James Ward-Prowse looks to be absent and that is a miss for The Saints, but the back four should be more settled and Everton's forwards look like they will either be short of training time or perhaps a little fatigued having played at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

It could mean a lack of goals in the home team and you do wonder how the atmosphere will turn if Southampton can get their noses in front. They can certainly do that despite the horrific away form to end last season and I think Everton look like one of the more vulnerable home favourites on the opening weekend of the season.

Leicester City v Wolves Pick: The opening of a new season will always bring new hope and optimism in any fan base, but it feels like things are a little more uncertain for those who support Wolves. After a successful era under Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves decided the time was right to move on and change direction after finishing 13th last time out.

Much is going to depend on how quickly Bruno Lage finds his feet as the new manager of the club.

The fans are not entirely sure what they can expect after Lage's previous job with Benfica saw him win the Portuguese title, but then also oversee some of the poorest runs of results that the former European Champions have experienced for over a generation. He has some previous experience of English Football and Bruno Lage has promised to bring more attacking football to Molineux, but finding the right blend and balance will be a challenge.

Wolves have some quality players, but they are dealing with a long injury list as they get set to visit Leicester City.

The Foxes impressed in their 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield last week and they started the Premier League very strongly last season. That is encouraging as Leicester City were trying to bounce back from a disappointing final day defeat to Manchester United at the end of the 2019/20 season which cost them Champions League Football and now Leicester City have to try and do the same following the final day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in May which left them in 5th place.

Brendan Rodgers knows his team have to improve at home, but they were not helped down the stretch with injury costing them key players. Harvey Barnes and James Maddison both missed out on England duty over the summer because of those injuries, but that may be to Leicester City's benefit and they can get their season off to a strong start.

Leicester City did score at least twice in their last 4 Premier League games at the King Power Stadium and they created some good chances in their win over Manchester City last week. A more positive Wolves team may also be a little more vulnerable than they usually are and I think Leicester City can take advantage on the opening weekend.

Games between these clubs have been tight over the last two seasons, but the last two have not lacked for chances. Leicester City have won 3 of their last 4 at home against Wolves and I think they are good enough to score at least two goals here which should be enough for an opening three points in the 2021/22 campaign.

Watford v Aston Villa Pick: Losing 'one of their own' has felt inevitable for Aston Villa fans for some time, but Jack Grealish's decision to leave for Manchester City has helped the club bring in some real quality as they look to improve on their 11th place finish in the Premier League last season.

Dean Smith will be without John Terry this season, but the manager has to be given a huge amount of credit for the improvement Aston Villa have made under his watch. Last season was their highest League finish in a decade and Aston Villa have bolstered the squad by bringing in quality like Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings.

Between the three of those players, Aston Villa are confident they can make up for the absence of Grealish. It will be a test for the club considering how much weaker they looked in matches where Jack Grealish was absent last season, but Aston Villa will head into the opening weekend as the favourite when taking on a newly promoted club.

Watford are back in the Premier League after spending a season in the Championship, but Xisco Munoz will be under pressure from the off considering how often this club will change managers. The Pozzo family have been successful in making the decision to replace managers in their time running Watford, but two seasons ago four names were not able to keep the team in the Premier League.

The squad has plenty of experience at this level, but Watford will be quite happy to finish 17th in the Premier League table and just consolidate their place back in the top flight. They did win 19 of 23 home League games in the Championship and the form at Vicarage Road is going to be vital for Watford if they are going to avoid another relegation.

Their underlying stats at home were pretty decent last season, but much was based on being difficult to break down. Against the added quality of Premier League opponents it will be difficult, and Watford need to win more than the 6 home wins managed in the Premier League two seasons ago if they are going to avoid finishing in the bottom three of the Division.

Having the home fans back should only aid Watford and they are facing an opponent who struggled to break down those teams they were likely to be considered favourites to beat. Since the turn of the calendar year, Aston Villa failed to beat the likes of Newcastle United, Brighton and West Brom, while losing to Sheffield United, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

Dean Smith will want his team to show more creativity against those teams willing to defend deep against his team, but Aston Villa could be missing Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey on the opening weekend. They will still be dangerous with Danny Ings leading the line, but Watford look like an underdog that could ride the momentum of their end to last season to earn a positive result to open this one.

Watford have a decent record at home against Aston Villa in recent seasons and they may just have enough to avoid defeat if their visitors are not able to call upon their most creative and attacking players this weekend.

Aston Villa had one of the weaker away defences in the League in terms of chances being allowed during this calendar year and Watford could earn an 'upset' here with the fans finally back to support them.

Norwich City v Liverpool Pick: An immediate return to the Premier League saw Daniel Farke fulfil his requirements as manager of Norwich City last season, but it will be his experiences of two seasons ago that will determine how well The Canaries deal with the top flight this time around.

Two years ago Norwich City finished bottom of the pile and earned just 21 points while they seemingly accepted their fate far earlier than they should have. The squad is arguably not as good as it was in the 2019/20 season, but they are more experienced and the manager is being asked to consolidate Norwich City's place in the top flight while still dealing with the financial purse strings remaining in the same place as they were.

Home form was disappointing a couple of seasons ago and Norwich City have been given a very tough start to the 2021/22 season as they look to build some momentum following another Championship winning campaign. Injuries and Covid-19 issues could see Daniel Farke's men going into the opening weekend short of numbers, but they can't expect much sympathy from Liverpool.

Last season it was a pile up of defensive injuries that saw Liverpool finish 17 points behind Champions Manchester City as their defence of the Premier League title went off the rails at the turn of the calendar year. At one point it looked like Liverpool may not even finish in the top four, but the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez are back and that should give Liverpool a solid base on which to get much closer to the top of the Division.

Andrew Robertson will miss the first couple of games, but having the key centre halves back in action should enable Liverpool to play with a much stronger attacking style. There were some concerns that their front three have lost a little of their edge, but Diogo Jota should offer another spark and Liverpool can extend what is a very strong record at Carrow Road.

They have won their last 7 visits to this ground including a 0-1 win two seasons ago, and Liverpool have won 6 of their last 7 away Premier League games. Norwich City should be given a huge boost by the returning crowds, but there is a considerable gap for them to bridge to what is expected to be a title challenger in the Premier League.

Norwich City did not give any team an easy ride at home in their last Premier League campaign and did beat Manchester City here. Narrow losses to Chelsea and Liverpool and a draw with Tottenham Hotspur shows what Norwich City may be capable of in front of their own fans, but they could be short of numbers in this opening fixture and I think Liverpool will take advantage by securing a wide win on the day.

Newcastle United v West Ham United Pick: The first live Sunday Premier League fixture of the 2021/22 season will be played out in front of a full St James' Park and I am not sure that privately Steve Bruce is perhaps feeling a little anxious about the occasion.

There is no doubt that Bruce and Mike Ashley are considered the enemies by the Newcastle United fans and it feels a protest or a surge of momentum against the club is never far away from the stands. Even a 12th place finish in the Premier League last season is unlikely to have appeased the fans who feel Newcastle United are stuck in purgatory under Mike Ashley's stewardship, while players have seemingly revolted against Steve Bruce pretty recently.

Despite that, Newcastle United did end the last season in solid form with 5 wins from their last 8 games which pushed them up the standings. A fast start may give Bruce the breathing room he desires, but a lack of transfer activity looks to have left Newcastle United short of quality behind the first eleven.

Keeping Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson fit and firing will be key for Newcastle United who won just 6 games at St James' Park last season.

Avoiding long-term injuries has to be the same ambition for West Ham United after David Moyes led them to their highest League finish since 1998/99. The 6th place means Europa League Football will be played at the London Stadium this season, but West Ham United have not really given Moyes the depth to the squad he would have wanted and they are still hugely reliant on Michail Antonio with little behind him.

Transfer business is likely to go down to the wire for West Ham United, but they will at least open the season with the vast majority of their key players ready to go. Jesse Lingard has returned to Manchester United, but West Ham United have some decent attacking options and they will certainly feel they can test this Newcastle United defence.

You can get at West Ham United defensively too though and I think that will be encouraging to Newcastle United who beat The Hammers 3-2 here in April. That meant completing the League double over West Ham United and was the latest in what has become a high-scoring fixture.

7 of the last 9 between these clubs have finished with three or more goals shared out. That includes each of the last 5 between the clubs at St James' Park and this feels like an attacking game with both teams looking stronger in the final third than they do in their own defensive third.

Most are expecting West Ham United to finish much lower than their 6th place last season with the current squad they have, but in August they should be able to concentrate on their Premier League form. Playing the Europa League Group games will add to the stresses for the players, but for now they are only playing one fixture per week and I think West Ham United have a fixture list they will feel they can negotiate effectively.

Winning here won't be easy though and the feeling is that both teams will find a way to hit the net in the latest high-scoring game played between Newcastle United and West Ham United at St James' Park.

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City Pick: The opening fixture of a new season is always an exciting time for fans, but even more so this season after seventeen months where they have largely been absent due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It should be no different for Tottenham Hotspur fans who have not really enjoyed their new Stadium as they would have wanted, but this is a fixture that is being overshadowed by the Harry Kane story. The England international and Spurs legend has asked to leave the club believing he would be allowed to do so this summer, but Daniel Levy has dug in and Kane is clearly unhappy.

To add to the drama, Harry Kane's desire is to join Champions Manchester City who happen to be the opponent for Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

A new manager makes things a little more blurry for Tottenham Hotspur fans, but Nuno Espirito Santo is well accustomed to managing in the Premier League and has made it clear that Harry Kane will be available for selection. Some transfer business has given the manager a few more options, but Tottenham Hotspur look like a team in transition and it has to be a concern that Leicester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United were all able to win here last season.

One team that couldn't were Manchester City who have lost all 3 visits to this new Stadium and who could perhaps be vulnerable in the first month of the season. Pep Guardiola has admitted that the summer international tournaments have had an impact on his preparation and he will also be without Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.

Those two are hugely influential, while Manchester City had an inconsistent start to the last campaign. They did win 1-3 at a Wolves team managed by Nuno Espirito Santo on the opening weekend of last season, but both De Bruyne and Foden were on the scoresheet that day and Tottenham Hotspur may have the familiarity with one another to make life difficult for the Champions.

In the main it feels like it will be a difficult transitional season for Tottenham Hotspur, but having the fans back and facing Manchester City at this stage may give them nothing to lose. Most will expect Spurs to roll over and lose, but I think they have enjoyed facing Manchester City here and the visitors are without some key names for this trip to North East London.

Some of the other top teams in the Premier League won here last season, but Nuno Espirito Santo has regularly made his Wolves team stubborn against the elite in his time in the Black Country. He will likely set Tottenham Hotspur up to be dangerous on the counter attack and the home underdog could be backed with the start which can only return a loser if Spurs are beaten convincingly.

Manchester City might be considered good enough to do that in a month or two, but right now they could be a little short of fitness to earn anything easily. It may lead to a surprising opening result that will give the other title challengers something to motivate them further than the additions made at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford already.

MY PICKS: Arsenal - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester United-Leeds United Under 2.5 Goals

Burnley + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Chelsea - 1.5 Asian Handicap

Southampton + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Leicester City & Over 1.5 Total Goals

Watford + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap

Newcastle United-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Tottenham Hotspur + 1 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 1 2021/22

The return of the Premier League means the return of the Fantasy Premier League game which is becoming more and more popular in each passing season.

At this stage I think it can be difficult to really create a squad that you are going to be happy with throughout the season but you have to learn from previous experiences.

For example, I am not keen on bringing in too many new signings who may be eased into the starting line ups, while I am not going to invest big money on players that are massive rotation risks. After the international summer of football, the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea are going to have some big names returning from short holidays and that should see the squads utilised in the first month of the season.

Neither team has the most appealing of opening fixtures either, but they are two of the leading contenders to win the title and so at some point you will want to bring in players from those teams. It might be a situation where you can wait for things to settle a little bit before you do, while risky to go without from either of those squads.

Liverpool and Manchester United look to be offering the best premium options ahead of Week 1, while the likes of Aston Villa, Leeds United and West Ham United have mid-priced options that could spark.

Of the newly promoted teams you do have to like how Brentford approach things, while both Norwich City and Watford are experienced in the Premier League and should have learnt from their 2019/20 seasons.

Norwich City have an awful set of fixtures to open the season, but Brentford could be a decent team to get behind with the likes of Ivan Toney priced very competitively.

Getting behind someone with the potential to streak like Toney early in the season could see a massive price rise as we saw for players early last season and that can be very important for those looking to finish very high up the standings.

Home form should also be stronger this time around compared with the Covid hit 2020/21 season that was played behind closed doors. It will be interesting to see how some teams that impressed last season cope with what has been a demanding fan base (West Ham United come to mind), while others should be much stronger (Liverpool are unlikely to lose 6 in a row at Anfield with their fans backing them as they did without them last season).

Over the last couple of seasons I have made a poor start to the Fantasy game and I am looking for much better this time around. Taking fewer 'punts' has to be the plan, although I am likely going to be working on my team right up until the deadline on Friday evening.